佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 9.17

9.17

Vimalakīrti had the great bodhisattvas each speak of the Dharma-gate of non-duality. At that time, thirty-two bodhisattvas all combined the dual views—conditioned and unconditioned, the two truths of ultimate and conventional—into a single view, taking it as the Dharma-gate of non-duality. Afterward he asked Mañjuśrī. Mañjuśrī said, "As I understand it, with respect to all phenomena, there is no word and no speech, no indication and no consciousness, divorced from all questions and answers—this is the entrance into the Dharma-gate of non-duality." Because the thirty-two people used words to dispense with words, Mañjuśrī used wordlessness to dispense with words, sweeping away everything at once and wanting none of it, [taking it as] the entrance into the Dharma-gate of non-duality. Little did he know that the spiritual tortoise drags its tail, brushing away tracks only to form traces; it is also like using a broom to sweep away dust: though the dust is gone, the tracks of the broom still remain. In the end, one still must remove the footprints as before. Thereupon Mañjuśrī asked Vimalakīrti in turn, saying, "We have each spoken. Virtuous Sir, you should speak for yourself: what is the bodhisattva's entrance into the Dharma-gate of non-duality?" Vimalakīrti remained silent. If he were a lively fellow, he would never go to immerse himself in dead water. If one forms such an understanding, it is like a mad dog chasing a clod. Xuedou does not say "after a good while," nor does he say "he sat silently holding his seat"; he only goes to the urgent place and says, "What did Vimalakīrti say?" Just as Xuedou speaks this way, did he still see Vimalakīrti? Not even in a dream! Vimalakīrti was an ancient Buddha of the past; he also had a retinue, assisted the Buddha in proclaiming the teaching, possessed inconceivable eloquence, had inconceivable realms, and possessed inconceivable supernatural powers and wondrous dynamic functioning. In a room ten cubits square, it could accommodate thirty-two thousand lion throne-seats along with an assembly of eighty thousand, without being either too wide or too cramped. Now tell me: what principle is this? Can it be called supernatural powers and wondrous dynamic functioning? Do not mistakenly understand it! When it comes to the Dharma-gate of non-duality, only those who attain together and realize together can mutually attest to and know it. Only Mañjuśrī could match words with him. Even though it was like this, could he avoid Xuedou's examination and censure? For Xuedou to speak this way, he also had to meet with these two people, saying, "What did Vimalakīrti say?" and also saying, "Exposed!" Now tell me, what place was the place of being exposed? Only this bit: not bound by gain or loss, not falling into right or wrong; like a cliff of ten thousand fathoms, if above it you can give up your life and leap across, I grant that you personally see Vimalakīrti. If you cannot give it up, you are very much like a flock of sheep ramming a hedge. Xuedou was naturally a person who could give up his life, which is why he brought it out in verse, saying: